18th March 1662. On that day seven coaches ran for the first time through the streets which lead from the Porte-Saint-Antoine to the Luxembourg. The second line, from the rue Saint-Antoine to the rue Saint-Honoré, was opened on the 11th April 1662. And the third line, from the rue Montmartre to the Luxembourg, was established on the 22d of May. Sauval informs us that at the end of a few years, though the omnibuses had proved universally convenient, they were no longer in use; and he ascribes their discontinuance to the death of Pascal, but apparently without reason.

Such was their celebrity at the time, that a comedian named Chevalier, brought out a rhymed comedy in three acts under the name of L'Intrigue des carosses à cinq sols. It was printed in 1663, and again in 1828.

M. de Monmerqué was unsuccessful in his inquiry after the form of the ancient omnibuses. He could discover only that they contained eight persons, that they were mounted on springs, and that the coachman and the lacquey or cad were clad in blue livery.

LXXI.

MEMENTO MORI.

MANY anecdotes might be collected of moribund jocularity, or deathbed jests; and a large book might

be filled with the epitaphs of those who have laboured to be witty even in their graves, and to joke on their tombstones. To these premeditated funeral pleasantries might be added many unintended ones, which have been caused by ignorance or blunders. In a churchyard in the north-east of Scotland I have seen a simple monument inscribed MEMENTO MORES.

LXXII.

BADEN IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. A LETTER from Poggio Bracciolini to Leonard Aretine gives a remarkable picture of this favourite watering place in the earlier years of the fifteenth century: "Oppidum est deinde Baden satis opulentum quod est balneum Alemanorum lingua situm in convalle montibus circum imminentibus penes quoddam flumen ingens rapidissimi cursus quod in Rhenum fluit longe ab oppido milibus passuum sex. Prope oppidum stadiis quattuor est villa super flumen pulcerrima in usum balneorum fabricata. Area perampla est media parte ville et circum hospicia magnifica multarum receptaculum gentium. Singule domus sua habent balnea interius in quibus abluuntur hi soli qui ad eas divertere: balnea enim publica tum privata sunt numero xxx. Publica tamen duo existunt palam ab utraque parte aree

lavacra plebis et ignobilis vulgi ad quem matres atque viri pueri nupteque puelle et omnium circumfluentium fex descendit. In his vallis quidem intercuriis utpote inter pacificos constructa viros a feminis se jungit. Ridiculum est videre vetulas decrepitas simul et adolescentes nudas in oculos omnium agras ingredi, verenda et nates omnibus ostentantes hominibus. Risi sepius tam preclarum spectaculi genus mentem revocans ad florales ludos: et mecummet istorum simplicitatem admiratus sum qui neque ad hoc oculos advertunt nec quicquid suspicantur aut loquuntur mali. At vero balnea que in domibus sunt privatorum perpolita sunt, et ipsis viris feminisque communia: tabulata quedam eos secernunt et in his fenestrelle perplures demisse quibus et una potare simul colloqui et utrique videre atque attractare queant, ut eorum frequens est consuetudo.

Nec desuper cingunt deambulatoria in quibus conspiciendi confabulandique causa homines consistunt. Nam cujuslibet visendi colloquendi jocundi ac laxandi animum gratia aliorum balnea adire et prestare adeo ut cum exeunt et ingrediuntur aquas femine majori parte corporis nude conspiciuntur nulle aditus custodie servant, nulla ostia prohibent. Nulla suspicio inhonesti pluribus in locis idem qui viris et mulieribus quoque ad balnea ingressus est ut sepissime accedat et virum seminude femine et feminam viro nudo obviam ire.

Masculi

capestribus tantummodo utuntur. At vero femine lintheis induuntur vestitus crurum parte tenus ab altero latere scissis ita ut neque collum nec pectus nec brachia aut sacertos tegant: in ipsis aquis sepe de simbolis edunt composita mensa desuper aquam natante, quibus viros assistere consueverunt. Nos quidem ea in domo quibus lavabamur semel vocati sumus ad eam consuetudinem. Equidem simbolum contuli interesse nolui licet sepe rogatus non permotus pudore qui pro ignavia habetur ac rusticitate sed justicia sermonis fatuum quidem mihi videbatur et hominem Italum adesse." It would be easy to cite many other testimonies equally unfavourable to the purity of these times, so much lauded by some modern writers who will not deign to study the history of manners in its original sources.

LXXIII.

NAME OF AMERICA.

THE question "When did the New World first take the name of America ?" appears to have been lately determined by a learned Spaniard, Don Martin Fernandez de Navarrete.2

1 Epistole Enee Silvii, sign. v. ii. b. Impensis Anthonii Koberger Nuremberge impresse. Anno salutis Christiane,

etc. M. CCCCXCVI.

2 Coleccion de los Viages y Descubrimientos, que hicieron

"Cos

There was published at Strasburg in 1509 a work, now of singular rarity, bearing this title: mographiae introductio: cum quibusdam Geometriae ac Astronomiae principiis ad eam rem necessariis.— Insuper quatuor Americi Vespucci navigationes.Universalis Cosmographiae descriptio tan in solido quam plano, eis etiam insertis quae Ptholomaeo ignota a nuperis reperta sunt." The colophon runs : "Pressit apud Argentoracos hoc opus ingeniosus vir Joannes Gruniger. Anno post natum Salvatorem supra sesquimillesimum nono.1—Joanne Adelpho Mulicho, Argentenensi castigatore." The author calls himself Martin Ilacomilo, a name which appears to be disfigured after the fashion of the literary men of the time.

Nowhere in his " Cosmographiae Introductio" does he mention the name of Columbus, but attributes the discovery of the New World to Vespucci alone. In his fifth chapter, after enumerating the inhabitable countries within the torrid zone in the Old World, he adds, " and the greater part of the lands hitherto unknown, and lately discovered by

por mar los Espanoles desde fines del Siglo XV. t. iii. Madrid, 1829. 4to.

1 A copy of the work said to be printed in 1507 was in one of Mr Thorpe's sale-catalogues of 1835. Don M. de Navarrete was not aware of any earlier edition than that of 1509.